The Delta independent., 1887-03-22
A HOTEL HORROR.
The Richmond Hotel In Buffalo Burni
Causing Grsa at. Loss OF Life.

The Richmond Hotel In Buffalo Burns
Causing Great Loss Of Life.
BUFFALO, March 1s.-The Richmond
hotel and St James hall were burned early
this morning. The loss is fully $500, 900. A
number Of lives are reported lost and many
persons were injured. The building is situ-
ated at the corner Of Main and Eagle streets
extending through to Washington street.
The fire was discovered at 8 80 this morning
in the new Richmond hotel. An alarm was
sounded and the fire department responded
promptly. The house contained large
number of guests, and their heart-rending
shrieks could plainly be heard. Ladders
were raised as soon as possible, and as
many as could be, were taken out A large
number of them were unable to effect their
escape. While the place burned like tim
der, the corridors in the center of the build
ing acted as a great funnel, and as the
flames streamed upwards, the guests found
themselves imprisoned by the walls of fire.
The screams of the unfortunates could be
heard for blocks, and at many Of the win
dows they could be seen in their night
clothes calling wildly for help.
There were l25 persons in the hotel, sew
enty Of whom were transient guests, eight
were boarders and the remainder porters,
bell boys, families of the proprietors and
clerks. Twenty-Five of these were rescued
from the windows by the iiremen, twenty
two are in the hospital and large number
made their escape by other means.
The origin of the fire is not as yet known.
William ii. Airport, the night clerk, says:
"The fire started in the cloak room under
the main stairway at $50 O'Clock. There
was nobody up but myself, the night porter
and the bell boy. l pulled all four of the
fire alarms on the different floors, and the
people came flying down stairs in their
night clothes. The fire followed the eleva-
tor, and inside of five minutes it reached
the top floor. rushed out Of the door afte
doing all l could"
A bell boy (Plummer) tells his experience
as follows: II was dusting the reading
room when l heard a shout and saw the
flames coming up the stairway
from the basement. Mr.. AIport and
turned on the hose under
the main stairway. We Strengthened the
hose out and turned the valve, but the wa
ter would not run. Then we gave the
alarm. The watchman and got plank
and broke in the Eagle street e itrance to
the hotel. Then we got plank under the
fire escape and we helped the people down.
think there were almost eigkty-four
guests in the house."
The spread of the flames was frightful in
its rapidity. The elevator shaft served as a
ilue for the flames, and the whole structure
was enveloped in few moments. As the
guests were reused and saw the interior
exit cut Off, they rushed to the windows.
They could be seen IN their night clothes
standing out clear and vivid before the lurid
background of flame. Their screams were
horrible to hear, and they could be heard
for blocks.
the fire to the narrow limits of the three
buildings named. Their work of rescue had
many exciting incidents. The telegraph
wires were, as usual, in the way of the lad
der brigade, and much valuable time was
lost In getting the ladders past them. The
fire, which was under control by o'clock,
was confined to the Richmond hotel and to
the museum property and saloon Of James
Creighton and the cigar store of J. {. C.Falcio,
on Main street.
The walls of the burned building are a
menace to life and until they are razed and
the ruins cooled, no search for bodies can
be made. 1t is undoubtedly fact that at
least thirty persons perished.
The total loss by fire will be 100000. OF
this amount the Buffalo Library loses $780,
900 on the hotel and museum buildings,
which were insured for $4,000. Fuller &
Townsend, clothiers, were insured for s45,-
900. Their stock was total loss, and was
valued at 100000. Peter Paul & Brother
and Albrich & Kingsley, stationers, each
lose s4o, 900, with 90, 900 insurance. Several
minor losses WAN sistained